One of the most prevalent difficulties we face as a species is the search for meaning in our seemingly unimportant lives. Philosophers like Susan Wolf have explored this issue, trying to reconcile how we can live meaningful lives when faced with the harsh reality that our lives may, in fact, be pointless. Thomas Nagel, in his paper “The Meaning of Life”, claims that life is not only meaningless, but also absurd. The absurd, Nagel argues in his paper “The Absurd”, is an inescapable consequence of human nature. Nagel contends that there exists no possible world in which absurdity could be avoided, in which our doubts could be subdued and the claim of absurdity laid to rest; I however do not agree. Through referencing articles by Nagel himself–as…show more content… In this book, Plato writes, “the unexamined life is not worth living,” stressing the necessity of self-reflection. When you look at both Plato’s assertions about meaningful lives and Nagel’s regarding absurdity, we are faced with what appears to be a double-edged sword. If you were to take both of their claims as fact, one who lives an unexamined life (a life void of introspection and self-reflection) lives a meaningless life by Plato’s standards, yet lives a life that is not absurd per Nagel’s criteria of absurdity. Conversely, one who lives an examined life leads a more meaningful life than one who does not partake in self-reflection, yet falls victim to absurdity. It appears that wherever meaningfulness appears, absurdity follows. Does it not then follow that the only way to escape absurdity is to live a meaningless life, a life that Plato believes is not worth living? I, however, do not see absurdity as an all or nothing phenomenon; rather, I believe that it can be expressed on a scale, with each person experiencing and viewing absurdity at varying levels of intensity. Nagel argues that it is nearly impossible for someone to will themselves out of the grasp of absurdity, that it involves reverting to an almost animalistic nature, relying on impulses. While Nagel proposes accepting…show more content… While that idea is not a very pleasant one, I do not believe that we should let it affect our daily lives. Why should it matter whether or not my existence will cross someone’s mind six thousand years from now, or even one hundred years from now? The meaningfulness of our lives is not dependent upon how long we are remembered; we will not be around to know the difference. It is my view that your life will only seem meaningless if you seek meaning from without, as opposed to from within. Once you come to terms with the finitude of our existence and seek no further reward, you can allow yourself to find meaning in your days here on Earth and, possibly, rise above the absurdity of our lives. In his essay on the absurd, Nagel makes clear that the absurd is not an innate feature of human existence, but rather that it is a consequence of our nature. In other words, life in and of itself is not absurd, nor does it have to be. If we can allow ourselves to be content with living in the dark and focusing on the things that bring us meaning in our everyday lives, we can not only live meaningful lives but also, possibly, escape the
